Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Oligoanilines and Polyaniline Nanofibers Using H2O2

Nanofibers of polyaniline and oligoanilines of controlled molecular weight, e.g., tetraaniline, octaaniline, and hexadecaaniline, are synthesized using a versatile high ionic strength aqueous system that permits the use of H2O2 with no added catalysts as a mild oxidizing agent. Films of oligoanilines deposited on plastic substrates show a robust and reversible chemiresistor response to NO2 vapor at room temperature in ambient air (100-5 ppm).